By Mark H
November 23 2004

It was always going to be an interesting Monday. I don’t think any of us could have expected it to be this interesting though, so at the end of a long day, here’s our summary of Monday 22 November 2004 It’s been probably the most dramatic day off the field in Saints’ history since 6 July 1988, when the gang of seven overthrew the committee at the annual meeting and the club began to move forward after at best stagnating throughout the 1980s. Rumours were flying literally from the final whistle on Saturday, with the cancellation of the First XV meeting the first visible sign that all was not well behind the scenes.

The widely expected news of the exit of Alan Solomons officially broke just after 9.30, after a board meeting held immediately after Saturday’s loss to Worcester. The board apparently decided unanimously that he should be replaced, and therefore the South African left the Gardens for the last time dismissed from his role as director of rugby.

Tonight’s Chron suggests that the decision had been made before that, and that he would have gone irrespective of the result - which raises the question of why they waited. Keith Barwell has admitted that he took into account the views of both the senior players and the supporters, and that until the aftermath of the Leeds game, he was prepared to give the coaching team time to prove themselves. That 26-21 defeat appears now to have been the first nail in the coffin; the subsequent home losses to Irish and Worcester merely sealed it. KB on Anglia News - “he’s a nice bloke, it just didn’t work out”.

Solomons leaves on the back of eight straight Premiership defeats, a run which includes five at home, both record runs, and author of his own misfortune. But what of his right hand men, forwards coach Adrian Kennedy and skills coach Frank Ponissi? Well, both now form part of a new (albeit temporary) coaching team, headed by Saints legends Budge Pountney and Paul Grayson (Pountney taking the lead role), and also including current technical analyst Paul Larkin. The five will be introduced to the media at a press conference at 3.30pm on Tuesday afternoon, and take charge of their first game at Newcastle’s Kingston Park on Sunday.

For those with memories, on 27th November 2001, Wayne Smith was appointed as the top man at the club, with his first game being at Newcastle on the following Sunday. Four tries and one 28-13 victory later, the new broom had started the turnaround of the club, one which eventually took Smith and the side to Twickenham for the Powergen Cup final less than five months later.

As for a permanent replacement to Solomons, KB has confirmed that the club will be advertising the position, but hopes that it will not be necessary and that “Budge and the two Pauls will come up with the goodies”. Names so far mentioned as possibles (and improbables) include Nick Mallett, Jon Mitchell, Pat Lam, Dean Richards, Jim Mallinder, Rob Andrew, Santa Claus and our very own Ajack.

If that wasn’t enough, the news at lunchtime that Corne Krige has stepped down as club captain came as a shock to some, but his reasoning of having been appointed by Solomons and that the new regime would want their own choice in charge was typical of the qualities of the man. Of all of the new signings, Krige has put his body on the line consistently throughout the run, and having reaffirmed his commitment to the club, he could still become the Saints legend that we all hope for.

This led to another statement from KB, confirming that all of the players are 100% committed to the club. He sees the changes as a chance to recreate the club we all want. From the Chron again:-

“The policy will be simple - pride and passion and the best person each week will wear the shirt”.

For many supporters, the appointment of Pountney and Grayson will at least give us Saintsmen to get behind; men who have been at the club and in the town for years; men who know what this club means to the man and woman in the street; those people who give unconditional support; those who wear the shirt, beat the chest, and commit fully to the men in gold, black and green every week. Our job now is easy - to get behind them and lift the doom and gloom currently at the Gardens. KB knows it - “the club is the greatest thing to me and the fans” (Anglia News).

If you can get to Kingston Park this weekend, do so - it’s the start of a new era. It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be ugly at times, but we all need to be pulling in the right direction. It only seems right to leave the last word with the chairman.

“I want to see pride and passion in the shirt and a return to the old values and ethos of the club”.